Archaeology

Amunhotep III (Part 9): The Dark Years. Between 1380 and 1370 BCE, Egypt may have suffered an outbreak of disease. In this decade, at least four royal family members died, and the political situation was irrevocably changed. It wasn't all bad, though: around 1380, Queen Tiy went through the difficulties of childbirth and offered a [...]

Interlude: Royal Children on the Rise. From 1385 to 1380, the prince of Egypt Thutmose was climbing up the ranks. From a lowly sem-priest to the chief of a great temple, Thutmose was a quickly rising star. His sister, Sit-Amun, also leaves a tantalizing trace of her life. We explore a non-royal funeral, the cult [...]

Interlude: Queen Tiy's Lucky Family. The family of Queen Tiy came from an interesting place, and led a fascinating life. Her mother and father - Tjuyu and Yuya - and her brother Anen enjoyed great privileges thanks to their family connections. In life, and in death, they left an enduring legacy... Direct Download (Save As [...]

Amunhotep III (Part 7): Three Tales of the Scarabs. From regnal years 9-11 (1932 - 1390 BCE), the royal court witnessed some very unusual developments. First, the King bagged his 100th lion while hunting. Then, the court welcomed a foreign princess, Gilu-khepa, who arrived as a diplomatic bride for the King. Finally, the court witnessed [...]

Interlude: Everything Bigger Than Everything Else. For 2000+ years, the Colossi of Memnon have dazzled visitors to Thebes. Greeks, Romans and modern tourists are enthralled by their size and spectacle. What are the statues doing there? In this episode, we explore the lost Mortuary Temple of Amunhotep III, in particular the immense statues which are [...]

(Interlude). In 1414 BCE, a man named Nebi led a convoy of soldiers and convicts out into desert wastes of the Sinai Peninsula. They went in search of copper; along the way, they revealed new stories from middle- and lower-class Egypt. We explore. Direct Download (Save As mp3) One of Nebi's two canopic jars (Björkman [...]

Thutmose IV (Part 2). From 1418 to 1400 BCE, Men-kheperu-Re Thutmose IV ruled Egypt with capable mind and mighty arms. His reign saw some fascinating events pop up, including new mining expeditions in the Sinai (led by his wife, of all people) and a campaign against bedouin down in the gold country of Nubia. Along [...]

Interlude: Remarkable Discoveries in a Royal Tomb. Around 1440 BCE, Egyptians were carving the burial monument of Amunhotep II in the Valley of the Kings. In 1898 CE, a group of excavators were uncovering the edifice once more. In a dual narrative, we explore the design, construction and discovery of a most remarkable tomb… Direct [...]

Amunhotep II (Part 6). Around 1420 BCE, Amunhotep II was entering his last days on the throne. The King was in his early forties, and beginning to feel his age. It was time to look for a successor; but with so many children (10+) around, who was the King going to choose? Direct Download (Save [...]